Experts in the News | Miller Center

The Trump White House Has Turned Into Another Reality Show -- 'Dynasty'

In a country that prides itself for being a meritocracy, however, Barbara Perry, of the University of Virginia's Miller Center thinks it's wrong for elected officials to hire family members when they should be looking for the best staffers.

Barbara Perry

The Presidency

American Dynasties: The Kennedys

The Miller Center's Barbara Perry plays a leading role in the new documentary about the Kennedy family

Oscar Speeches: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Do you watch the Super Bowl for the ads and the Oscars for the speeches? We do. Listen in as four movie-loving speechwriters replay their favorite and not-so-favorite Oscar acceptance speeches, with oratorical do’s and don’ts for this year’s winners. Join co-host Paul Orzulak (President Clinton), co-host Mary Kate Cary (President HW Bush) and guests Kate Childs Graham (West Wing Writers) and former Washington Post film critic Desson Thomson (State Department) as they also preview the politics surrounding the 2018 Academy Awards. Plus What’s Making Us Hopeful This Week.

Mary Kate Cary

‘American Forum’ signs off

A standing ovation welcomed “American Forum” host and producer Doug Blackmon as he walked onto the set for the final episode. After reaching 85 percent of PBS networks nationwide, attracting four 2016 presidential candidate guests and hosting political movers and shakers from across the spectrum, the University’s Miller Center television program will air its last episode March 4 due to a lack of funding.

Douglas Blackmon

Trump’s biggest mistake on immigration: his belief that something so complex can be “fixed”

Every workable immigration policy from the 1986 amnesty to Obama’s DACA plan has had one thing in common: They were attempts to adapt policy to the reality of migration. Trump’s hardline immigration proposals all push in the opposite direction: They try to mold reality to fit policy.

Nicole Hemmer

Honoring Billy Graham at the Capitol was the right call

"Lying in honor should be someone who served their country. Well, how did he do that?" asked Barbara Perry, director of presidential studies at the Miller Center for presidential and political history at the University of Virginia. Here's the answer: Graham served his country by making her look good to millions of people around the world. His message of peace -- spoken to some 215 million people in 185 countries in person -- made him by far the most popular Protestant religious figure of the last century.

Barbara Perry